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Choosing an all-inclusive tour for a vacation in Italy not only relieves you from planning all your accommodations, transportation, activities and excursions, it also means you will benefit from expert local knowledge and guidance throughout the trip. Your tour guides will show you all the highlights of your destination or destinations, along with unexpected treasures hidden in Italy&amp;rsquo;s smaller towns and rural villages. Perhaps what draws you to Italy is the regional cuisines or the scenery of the lakes or coast. Maybe you are seeking an active, outdoor adventure. Whatever you are looking for, you can find a tour company that will cater the itinerary specifically to your preferences.

National Geographic Expeditions&amp;#039; Inside Italy

This 11-day vacation with National Geographic Expeditions promises to uncover some of Italy&amp;rsquo;s lesser-known treasures. Highlights include three nights in a private 13th-century castle in Tuscany, an after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums and wine tasting at a vineyard in the Chianti region. The tour offers both active excursions, such as hiking over sea cliffs from village to village along the Cinque Terre coast, and more relaxing pursuits like sampling local cheeses and hand-rolled pasta in Pienza. Explore the cosmopolitan cities of Florence and Rome, charming provincial towns of Pisa and Lucca, and the rural landscapes of the coast and countryside. The vacation package includes all accommodations, guided activities and excursions, entrance fees and transportation. Nine breakfasts, three lunches and seven dinners are also provided. National Geographic Expeditions 1145 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20036 888-966-8687 nationalgeographicexpeditions.com

Wilderness Travel&amp;#039;s Italy&amp;#039;s Lake District

Explore two of Italy&amp;rsquo;s most beautiful mountain lakes and one Swiss lake by foot and ferry boat on this seven-day adventure. The trip involves hiking along mountain trails, but they are described by Wilderness Travel as easy to moderate. Six nights in hotels are included with the tour, as are all your meals except for one dinner. Stay in charming hotels on Lake Como and Lake Orta in Italy and on the shore of Lake Lugano in Switzerland. The vacation begins in Como, where you take a boat across the lake to see the 18th-century Villa Balbianello, walk to the village of Perlo and see the Villa Melzi gardens. Spend the following day hiking in the mountains, interrupted by a gourmet lunch and a visit to a silk museum. Cross the border to Switzerland on day four and see the town of Lugano, with verdant mountain scenery all around. Ride a funicular 3,000 feet above the town for unmatched views of the lake, some scenic hiking and a picnic. The final destination is Lake Orta and the medieval village of Cannobio. Wilderness Travel 1102 Ninth St. Berkeley, CA 94710 800-368-2794 wildernesstravel.com

Artisans of Leisure&amp;#039;s Family Tour of Italy

This 10-day, privately guided vacation showcases the sights of Rome, Florence, Tuscany and Lake Como. The tour includes accommodations in luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons Florence and a choice of the Hotel de Russie or the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf-Astoria, along with full- and half-day private city tours, a boat tour of Lake Como, other excursions and private transfers. The tours and excursions are customizable according to your family&amp;rsquo;s preferences. In Rome, for example, you could visit the morning fruit and flower market of Campo dei Fiori, see the ruins of the Appian Way, explore the Colosseum or send the children to gladiator school. In Florence, see galleries, markets and gardens then go on a day-trip to Pisa to see the famous tower. Three nights at Lake Como are spent in Villa d&amp;rsquo;Este, a 16th-century former residence boasting landscaped gardens and a swimming pool that floats on the lake. Artisans of Leisure 18 E. 16th St., Suite 301 New York, NY 10003 800-214-8144 artisansofleisure.com

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About the Author

A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.